Nikon is reportedly halting DSLR camera development:
Nikon will stop developing new single lens reflex (SLR) cameras and focus exclusively on mirrorless models, according to a report from Nikkei. The news marks the end of an era and essentially confirms what most observers already expected, as the Japanese company hasn't released a new digital SLR (DSLR) camera since the D6 came out in June of 2020. While it reportedly won't design any more new models, Nikon will continue to produce and distribute existing DSLRs like the D6 and D3500 (above).
Nikon released its first single-lens reflex film camera, the Nikon F, back in 1959. It was one of the most advanced cameras of its time, thanks to features like a large bayonet mount, depth-of-field preview button, titanium focal-plane shutter, modular design and more. The company's first true professional digital SLR was the 2.7-megapixel D1, launched in 1999.
SLR cameras use a mirror and prism to give the user a direct optical view through the camera lens, with the mirror moving out of the way when the photo is taken. Mirrorless cameras, by contrast, take light directly from the lens to the sensor and give the user a view via an electronic viewfinder or rear display. Mirrorless cameras, as we discussed in our explainer and video below, allow for more compact bodies, advanced AI subject recognition, improved video features and more.
[...] Update 7/12/2022 9:57 AM ET: Update gave the following statement on its website: "There was a media article regarding Nikon's withdrawal of SLR development. This media article is only speculation and Nikon has made no announcement in this regards. Nikon is continuing the production, sales and service of digital SLR. Nikon appreciate your continuous support."
(Score: 4, Insightful) by JeffPaetkau on Friday July 22 2022, @06:24PM (4 children)
So Nikon's statement is implicitly a confirmation that they are ceasing development of SLR's
That is not a denial
Nobody claimed they were stopping production, sales, or service. They said they are stopping development which is noticeably missing from the list of SLR activities they indicate they will continue to perform.
One can only assume that this is confirmation that they have or will soon cease SLR development (or are very seriously considering taking that step) and an announcement will be made in the not-to-distant future.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 22 2022, @06:56PM (1 child)
Indeed. In corporate p.r. speak, "neighter confirms nor denies" usually mean "confirms".
(Score: 3, Funny) by DannyB on Friday July 22 2022, @07:02PM
Testimony
Testiphonyin court:Lawyer: Did you have sex with female A?
Witness: No.
Lawyer: Did you have sex with female B?
Witness: No.
Lawyer: Did you have sex with female C?
Witness: No.
Lawyer: Did you have sex with female D?
Witness: On the advice of cancel I wish to assert my fifth amendment privilege.
The server will be down for replacement of vacuum tubes, belts, worn parts and lubrication of gears and bearings.
(Score: 2) by Joe Desertrat on Saturday July 23 2022, @02:05AM (1 child)
I think the problem with DSLR development, like that with a lot of other things, is that it seemed to be aimed mostly towards expanding the limits of the technology, rather than refining what is already there. Going from 10 MP to 20 MP to 50 MP and up results in a lot of bigger pictures, not necessarily better pictures. If equal effort is not made towards improving focusing, light detection, etc., results won't be much better at any level. If the photographer doesn't expend a lot more effort in learning how to use their technology than in acquiring better equipment, they will likely just turn out bigger bad pictures. You can't fix it all in editing. If Nikon, and other camera makers, can and will apply improved technology from mirrorless development to DSLR, it will be a good thing. If they won't, then DSLR will eventually become something of a niche, like SLR film photography. Likely it will fade away even faster, as old SLR cameras seem to last forever, and can produce quality images as long as film is available. I'm not sure how mirrorless competes with medium and full format, I stopped following the development of the technology when I acquired what I consider a sufficient DSLR and collection of lenses, but they have always been more the realm of pro and niche photographers, and most using them seriously are probably turning out as quality an image as they ever could.
(Score: 2) by JeffPaetkau on Saturday July 23 2022, @06:49PM
Oh ya. 100%. I think there is a tonne of room for digital photography improvement away from DSLR. I was only pointing out that the Nikon statement was not actually a denial.
(Score: 3, Touché) by DannyB on Friday July 22 2022, @06:34PM (1 child)
First, announce stop making DSLR cameras and introducing New DSLR cameras that are much more gooder!
Wait.
Then, now re-introducing the DSLR Classic.
The server will be down for replacement of vacuum tubes, belts, worn parts and lubrication of gears and bearings.
(Score: 2) by kazzie on Saturday July 23 2022, @10:00AM
DSLR classic is the SLR. Got any 35mm?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by JoeMerchant on Friday July 22 2022, @07:16PM (5 children)
First SLR 1959.
First DSLR 1999, only 40 years later - 23 years ago...
I suppose DSLR has matured quite a bit by now, but mirrorless certainly seems to me to be the way of the future - after all, why look at what the sensor sees when you can see what the sensor will record?
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 22 2022, @09:01PM (1 child)
With all of the image processing magic going on, you definitely DO NOT 'see' what the sensor 'sees'
when it makes a recording if you just view the optical path.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Saturday July 23 2022, @03:17PM
For many years now, processed digital images are all there have been. Some level of processing is necessary, even in film, to get a natural color balance, whatever that might mean to you.
🌻🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 22 2022, @11:06PM (1 child)
Possibly, but for some uses it's a step backwards. Worse per draw, worse collection of lenses.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by janrinok on Saturday July 23 2022, @02:00AM
I agree. I have used Nikon for many years. F2. F3, then added various D series camera bodies. The lenses can all be connected but the older lenses don't have autofocus or whatever. They are well made and robust. But I'll keep using mine, they will outlast me I think.
[nostyle RIP 06 May 2025]
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Spamalope on Saturday July 23 2022, @11:11AM
Mirrorless is definitely the future, but it hasn't reached parity yet though that's improving. It's a mixed bag for now.
Removing the mirror box + motor and swapping the pentaprism for an LCD viewfinder (or no viewfinder at all - bleh!) saves thickness, weight and expense. Theoretically it should enable fancy real time processing of the scene for things like AI driven focus, but that's not here yet.
There are downsides though.
The best cross type phase detect SLR autofocus sensor has not been matched by mirrorless cameras yet.
Battery life is... compromised.
Sensor heating from running it to power the viewfinder/liveview adds significant noise to the images (as does live view for a DSLR).
Overall heating from the sensor + CPU + LCD screens + draining battery is a problem, sometimes significant (Canon R5 notoriously - though really only if you shoot video with the stills camera)
The slimmer body matches with larger lenses so the size savings isn't what you might think at first.
Current viewfinders/rear LCD have delay, processing artifacts and aren't WYSIWYG - and that delay matters for pro cameras. A 100ms delay reduces the 'exactly right moment' captures at a fast paced live event enough to matter.
For slower stills photography and where you're only taking a few hundred shots the nicer mirrorless cameras are workable tradeoffs. For an all day competitive sports event? No! Not this gen. Focus, battery life, heat tolerance (shoot 4k pics outside in Vegas 110+ or Florida 100 + 95% humidity), responsiveness - all not there yet. And that right there explains the hedging. Nikon/Canon have a delicate issue. They're moving to mirrorless, probably won't make new DSLRs but don't have a working flagship mirrorless! They've got to sell 'old tech' as the top of the line. There is a small chance they might be cornered into making one more generation of pro DSLR if they can't get acceptable mirrorless performance in time. I suspect instead we'll see top tier cameras that have something new and neat enabled by real time sensor reading, but that doesn't match the last DSLRs entirely otherwise. Then they won't discontinue the top DSLR as long as they have sales or until the following mirrorless top tier body is released. For Canon, the current 1D will sell next to the R1 rather than replacing it but there won't be another 1D once the first R1 is released. (1D is the top dog camera model)